NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has criticised the Russian army's latest round of drills ensuring “combat readiness,” the Interfax news agency reported Wednesday.
Stoltenberg said that the snap checks “undermine transparency and predictability.”
“It becomes impossible to ensure effective transparency and monitoring of the exercises,” Stoltenberg said, as was quoted by TASS.
Russia's Foreign Ministry maintains that NATO and all military attach?s were informed about the checks.
The drills were ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, and will continue until June 22.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the checks were happening to “assess combat and mobilization readiness.”
The day of the first Russian drills was used by NATO defense ministers to announce the deployment of four multinational battalions to Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland on the RBC news website reported. The move was meant to “send a clear signal that NATO stands ready to defend any ally,” RBC said.
Russia-NATO relations worsened considerably following Russia's involvement in the Ukrainian conflict and its annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.
Stoltenberg said in his speech that Russia was guilty of violating the ceasefire in Ukraine “again and again,” Reuters reported. He maintained that Moscow was continuing to support separatists with equipment, weapons, and masses of troops along the Ukrainian border.
The general also spoke in support of an aid package to Ukraine which was approved by NATO defense ministers on Wednesday. The package includes consultations and other kinds of assistance, RBC reported.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
